Improvement in harvesters



L.v G. KNIFFEN.

Moweri Patented Aug. 20, 1867.

@Sluiten tatrsfatmt @fitta L. c..l KNI FFnN, o r WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS; Letters Patent No. 67,885, cZatecZ August 20, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that l L. G. KNXFFEN, of the city and county of Worcester',and State of Massachusetts, have `invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Harvest-ers, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which make part of this specication, and in which Figure 1 represents aview in elevation of `my improved harvester. The red lines behind themain axle represent the reaper attachment, while the colored'lnes infront of that axle show the position of the parts when'the cuttingapparatus is raised and folded up.

i Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the main axle.

Figure. 3 is a diagram showing the gearing.

Figure 4 is a view of one of the baching'ratchets.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section through the coupling-arm, atthe line a: w of rig. 1.

Figure 6 shows the details of thelifting-lever.

Figure 7 shows similar views of part ofthe tilting-lever; and

Figure 8 is a plan or top view ofthe socket and lifting devices.

p Myinvention relates to that class of two-wheeled hinge-jointharvest-ers which can be converted from mowers into reapers, and fromfront-cut to rear-cut machines, or vice versa, and more especially tomachines in which the main frame, the gearing, and the drivers seat areall maintained in one relative position by a. rigid tongue or shafts,while the cutting apparatus is so connected to the mainl frame bycoupling-arms as freely to rise and fall to conform to the undulationsof the ground over which it is drawn.

The improvements herein claimed consist, tiret, in a. socket which actsas a support for the lifting-lever, and as a dctent to hold 'thefinger-beam when folded up; second, in combining with a right-angledlifting-lever a swinging ratchet to hold the cutting apparatus, ashereinafter described; third, in combining a liftinglever and a swingingratchet with the mainframe and cutting apparatus, substantially ashereinafter.` described; fourth, .in so combining a lifting-lever and a.tilting-lever that the driver may, by a single movement, either lift thelinger-beam horizontally or turn it up vertically, at pleasure.

In the accompanying drawings, which exemplify one convenient mode ofcarrying out my invention, two driving and supporting-wheels A A areshown as turning loosely on the main axle B, to which suitable backingratchets a are iirmly secured, so as to turn with the axle.` A tongue,E, is attachedto the bed-piece, and supports a frame, F, which carriesthe lifting devices and drivers and rakers seats. The main gear-wheel Gdrives a corresponding spur-pinion on a counter-shaft mounted inbrackets projecting from the bed-piece D, and carrying twospur-whccls HH. These v heels are mounted loosely on the counter-shaft, and can be.alternately thrown into or out of gear by a sliding-clutch and featheroperated by a hand-lever, h. They gear into corresponding pinions LI onthe crank-shaft, mounted in the same brackets so as to rotate parallelto the main axle. The wheel H is of a diameter greater than its fellow,while the corresponding pinion I is of less diameter than its fellow, sothat by changing from one set to the other the speed of the cutters Acanbe increased or diminished at pleasure to adapt the machine to thechange from a reaper to a mower, or m'ce versa. A coupling-arm, J, ispivoted to the bracket d in line with the crankshaft z', and is curvedin the peculiar form shown in the drawings. The coupling-arm is bracedby a diagonal lever pivoted to a down-hanger secured to the bedpiece D.The finger-beam K is pvotcd to the coupling-arm by means of a shoe, L,formed of the peculiar shape shown in the drawings, and having a loop,l, to t on a corresponding stud, 7c, on the coupling-arm, and a yoke orfork, Z, to encircle the tubular part k of the coupling-arm, throughwhich the pitman M passes. The fork is clasped upon the coupling-arm bya bow-spring, Z2, which slips into loops on the yoke, and is held bysquare shoulders on its ends, as clearly shown in iigs. -1 and 5. Bythis means the finger-beam and coupling-arm are firmly connected so asto resist lateral strain, while the inger-beam is free to swing round.the coupling-arm to allow `either end to rise o1' fall to conform to theundulations of the ground. The cutters are vibrated by means of abell-crank or elbow-lever pivoted to play horizontally on the shoe L,and driven by the pitman M. The cutting apparatus' is raised or loweredby means of a bell-crank lever, N, pivoted to 'play vertically in asocket, 0, attached to the inner front corner of the frame. The toe ofthis lever is connectedfto the nger-beam by a cord nl e .v

or chain, n. A swinging ratchet, nl, is likewise hung to this toe by itsupper end, so as to pass through a. loop, n2, in the bracket. As the`lever rises the ratchet rises cndwise through its loop, and its gravitycauses it to swinglforward, so that when the lever is released the'tcethabut against the front part of the loep and prevent.

the descent of the finger-beam. The ratchet is released from the loop hythe foot of the driver acting on a treadle, P2. The hand-lever N',which. works the lifting-lever, is net .perni-.tnently attached thereto,but is pivoted concentrically with it, 'and vvWorks against a shoulder',o, on it, so that by {irst moving the hand-lever laterally a little way,it can be vibrated without al'ecting the lifting device. Theabove-described device lifts the finger-beam horizontally only. `Inorder, however, to lift its outer end, so as to fold it up against themain frame, I attach an arm, P, to the shoe L, in rear of but parallelto the inger-bcarn, and connect said rod hyalink, p, to a curvedrocking-lever, Pl, vibrating on the nsame pivot as the hand-lever N, and'moving both coneentrically and parallel therewith. The hand-lever Nabuts against a shoulder, o', on this rocking-lever similar to that onthe lifting-lever, and can thus be made to act upon it at pleasure. Bymoving thislever backward the outer end of the arm P is depressed, whilethe divider end of the finger-beam is correspondingly elevated, theeouplingar'm J serving as a fulcrum. I am thus enabled to lift 'theouter end of the finger-beam and to `raise it horizontally by theuse ofa single lever. W'lien thus raised the finger-beam can be Acaught by.the hook Y on the plateO, and thus held up for transportation, (seetig. 8;) The horses are attached to a Ydoubletree or evener,R, which isconnected by a chain, 1', to the brace-rod, and slides in a loop,.e,underneath the tongue. By this device the pull of the team tends to liftthe .cutting apparatus and thus diminish its pressure upon the ground.By adjusting the rear end of the chain higher or lower, `which canreadily be done by a short post on the brace-bar, the angle ofthedraught, and consequently the lifting strain exerted, can be varied atpleasure. I i

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is

1. The socket-plate O, constructed to act both as a support for thelifting and tilting mechanism, and as a detent to hold the finger-beamvertical when folded for transportation,substantially as described. f'

2, The combination ofthe lifting-lever with the swinging ratchet,arranged and operatingas described.

3. The combination and arrangement, substantiallyas described, of thesocket,vthe lifting-lever, and the swinging ratchet with the main frameand cutting apparatus.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of the lifting-lever,the tilting-lever, andthe hand-lever, for the purpose of either liftingortilting the cutting apparatus.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

L. G. KNIFFEN.

Witnesses:

Guo. A. KIMBALL, WM.v S. BIcKFoRD.

